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Thursday, October 3, 2013

Winston Medical to Host a Community Health Planning Forum

The Winston Medical Center is actively seeking members of the public to participate in a community forum on local health care. The forum is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15th at Lake Tiak O'Khata at 5:30 pm.

In a recent meeting with the Louisville Board of Aldermen, WMC administrator Lee McCall indicated that WMC was looking for public input on the most pressing health care needs of Winston County. After the forum, a selected focus group will meet to discuss the public comments and ideas and work with WMC to develop a three year plan for implementing changes and improvement to local health care issues. McCall said that WMC had a strategic plan and wanted the public's input.

McCall asked for a City of Louisville Representative to participate in the focus group and encouraged all to attend the forum. Aldermen raised several questions that McCall addressed including patient wait times and access to care. "We don't have enough doctors - like every community. We are fighting against communities like Tupelo and Nashville. We are addressing the issue by using more nurse practitioners."

McCall indicated that there was a need for 10-11 primary care providers in a community of the size of Winston County and that there are currently only 6-7. When patients go outside the county, their dollars also go outside the county. "We want to provide access and care here and keep those dollars in Winston County." said McCall.

McCall noted that construction was well underway on the WMC clinic in Noxapater and it is expected to open in November. He also spoke of working with the University Medical Center in Jackson on tele-medicine programs.

The public is urged to attend he October 15 forum and light refreshments will be served.